


Excelsis Dei

by 30xf



Series: 201 Days Of X Files [35]
Category: The X-Files
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-02
Updated: 2015-11-02
Packaged: 2018-04-29 14:54:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5131736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/30xf/pseuds/30xf





	Excelsis Dei

Spending the last couple of days around decaying seniors has had differing effects on Scully and I. A fear of getting old (one I didn't even realize I had) has manifested itself in starting each day with a long run. Scully (free of the worry that her 'plumbing' will end up like Hal Arden's) has simply been missing older relatives. I would suppose it has to do with the fact that, I can only imagine, Scully's grandparents were the warm, nurturing type. While mine were generally cold and distant. 

She had the sudden urge to call her grandmother before we leave the motel. I don't know if she's regretting that decision or not, but my patience is wearing thin on her behalf. As I lay on the bed in her room, mine having already been vacated and my stuff packed in the car, I hear Scully's side of the conversation. Every single thing she's said has had to be repeated at least once. At least. She is sat at the table, with the phone in front of her, mostly staring off at nothing in particular on the floor by the adjoining door. Occasionally she rests her head in her hand, the only sign of possible irritation at repeating herself. I have never heard anyone reiterate so much of a conversation without allowing sarcasm or annoyance into their tone. She is polite and patient, as if she's always had to do this with her grandmother.

For the first part of the conversation, I'm mostly disinterested, hearing Scully exchange pleasantries with her grandmother is calming, but not captivating. I toss a pen up into the air and catch it over and over again, careful not to lose an eye. But after a while, my amusement grows. I set down the pen and simply listen to Scully's voice, diligently repeating everything she says. From her answers, it seems Scully hasn't talked to her grandmother (whom she calls 'gramma') in a while. Either that or the older woman's memory isn't very good. I listen to her tell her gramma that she's not in med school anymore. Twice. She tells her she's an FBI agent. Twice. She tells her she works in a division called the X-Files. Three times. I listen to her start to explain what the X-Files are, and then trail off and direct her gramma to her mother for a further explanation. Twice. When she finally starts speaking louder to cut out the middle man, so to speak, she immediately has to apologize for yelling. Twice. 

By the time she hangs up the phone, I want to applaud her, but I just sit there, an amused grin on my face. She rubs her temples for a moment before she realizes I'm watching her. "She has a hearing aid in her one ear, but she insists on holding the phone to her other ear and it just...yeah. It's frustrating," she sighs. Her voice sounds a little defeated, but when she told her gramma she loved her (twice) it was completely genuine. 

"Next time you decide you absolutely need to call her, do you want me to remind you of this?" I ask, grabbing her suitcase and heading for the door. 

"Please. It's not that I don't want to talk to her, but next time I'll wait till I can do that face to face," she explains. She grabs the car keys and follows me to the car.

"And when you're old, do you want me to make sure you have a hearing aid for both ears?"

"Sure," she laughs as she slips into the passenger side. "But I'm not checking your plumbing for you."


End file.
